It’s not every day that you get a chance to make your community a better place. A few months ago, we kicked off the first Google Impact Challenge in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa- a competition to find and fund the most innovative nonprofits and social enterprises that are using technology to create economic opportunity in their communities. We were bowled over by the response - more than 5000 nonprofits shared their best ideas with us.

Today, we’re announcing the finalists in the competition, who will all receive a $125,000 grant as well as support and training from Google to implement their ideas. We are also inviting the public to vote on their favourite projects. The people’s choice winner will double their award and win $250,000.

The 36 projects we have selected are all exciting and innovative applications of technology to solve big problems and create economic opportunity at scale. From building an interactive website to enhance public participation and transparency in policing, to developing a mobile information platform that empowers women traders to work safely across East Africa and building disability-friendly Digital Hubs to ensure persons with disabilities have access to ICT skills: All these are bold ideas that highlight both Africa’s talent for innovation and our culture of helping others.

The Finalists

Kenya

Creatives Garage: Kalabars - A platform that seeks to address issues that stifle the creative industry in Kenya. Creatives Garage focuses on African content, and wants African stories to be told in an African context

M-Shule: A personalised learning platform that combines AI with SMS to transform primary school education for students across Africa.

AfriScout—A PCI Social Enterprise:Revolutionising the way pastoralists make migration decisions using the power of satellite and mobile technology.

GiveDirectly Kenya: Giving unconditional cash grants to hundreds of young people living in Nairobi’s urban informal settlements to support entrepreneurship.

Sauti East Africa: A mobile information platform empowering women cross-border traders to work safely, legally and profitably across East Africa.

The MakerSpace Foundation: The MakerSpace offers tools, technology, training and physical work space to enable people to make things that improve the world around them.

The Youth Employment Service: A business-driven collaboration with government that offers a disruptive approach to South Africa's youth unemployment challenge.

And now it’s YOUR turn to have a say. Head over to the Nigeria voting site , Kenya voting site and South Africa voting site to learn more about the finalists in each of the countries, and to vote for the projects that you care about most. Voting opens today and you have until November 27 to select your favourite projects. In addition to the People's Choice Winner, our expert panel of Judges will select three additional winners after a live pitching session on November 28. These winners will also receive $250,000 in funding

We created the Google Impact Challenge because we truly believe that technology has the power to transform lives. Together, let’s empower Africans to drive community impact.